The subject matter disclosed herein relates to elevator systems. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to termination of suspension members of elevator systems.
A typical elevator system includes an elevator car, suspended by one or more suspension members, typically a rope or belt, that moves along a hoistway. The tension member is routed over one or more sheaves, with one sheave, also known as a drive sheave, operably connected to a machine. The machine drives movement of the elevator car via interaction of the drive sheave with the suspension member. The elevator system further typically includes a counterweight interactive with the suspension member, with a counterweight end of the suspension member terminated, or retained in the hoistway. Often, this termination is at a machine bedplate, a structural member extending across the hoistway.
Building customers are seeking to reduce hoistway dimensions for elevator systems as much as possible, while retaining a practical elevator system. Hoistway dimensions are most often driven by, or dictated by, landing door frame width, machine width plus counterweight width, or a combination of machine dimensions and counterweight termination position. Recent improvements in doorframe technology allowing for reduced width doorframes has enabled narrower hoistways.